Tools We Use
People notice that we use (and are often testing) new products and approaches. As a result, we get an unending flow of requests for advice on what modern, daily tools to use, and how to go about getting permission to use them.
While we do want to support the adoption of modern and digital tools, please understand: our organization is designed to be on the edge of testing new things.
This means:
- We are actively managing the risk of using new tools that may not yet have a completed privacy impact assessment or security risk assessment.
- We are not handling sensitive or private information as we test the efficacy of new products before committing to them.
- We have curious people who are not afraid to play with new tools and to figure them out on their own: we don’t offer training on tools.
- There probably is not an enterprise version or license of the tools we use, unless you’ve seen a memo from the OCIO on such a thing, or it’s already on your computer.
- We are paying for the use of SaaS tools with our budget, and cannot share our licenses, because our funding limits us to apply our budget to teams we have officially partnered with (and even they are expected to pay for their own tools most of the time.)
Here we present a list of some tools we use that we have gone through the process of testing and including in our program’s Privacy Impact Assessment.
How to get permission to use a new tool
Every program manages different data and information in different contexts. This means that you generally should not apply a “blanket PIA” for use. Instead, you should have a PIA for the program or initiative you are running, and ensure the information and data you use can appropriately be included in the tool set you are using.
Your Ministry Privacy Officer will help you define the parameters of use if you are not sure.
For example, you may need to include disclaimers and consent notices when inviting people to use online tools. You should also consider what the cost is of potentially excluding people who do not want to use online tools, and make sure you provide alternate methods of service or engagement.
TBC - Here is a where you can find your Ministry Privacy Officer.
Collaboration
- Microsoft Teams (Enterprise support)
- Miro (not currently recommended by security team - managing with low risk content only)
- Mural (preferred by security team)
- Fun Retro (low risk content only)
Engagement
- Slido & Youtube live for webinars
- SurveyMonkey
- MS Teams Channels
Communications
- ’@’Work Group
- Medium Blog
- Yammer Channels
- MailChimp for newsletter
Workflow
- Microsoft Teams Planner
- Trello
- Github and ZenHub for product development
- Excel (budgeting, Human Resourcing)
Graphics
- Canva
- Adobe Illustrator
- Microsoft Paint and PowerPoint